Light reflecting device for pedestrians



y 5 R. H. DREw 'ETAL 2,792,753

LIGHT REFLECTING DEVICE FOR PEDESTRIANS Filed March 1953 INVENTORJ Raine 19. Drew BY Haro/ Wa/d'en United States Patent LIGHT REFLECTIN G DEVICE FORPEDESTRIANS Rodney H. Drew and HaroldG. Walden, Greenville, Maine Application March 4, 1953, Serial No. 340,284

1 Claim. (Cl. 88--80) This invention relates generally tosignalling devices and is directed more particularly to a reflector signal device designed particularly to be applied to or carried'on the person for the purposeof reflecting light rays emanating from the headlights of automobiles or other light sources.

A principal object of the present invention is to pro vide a novel and improved light reflecting signaldevice which is designed to be readily applied .to the clothing of a wearer in such manner that the same is visible from substantially any angle from zero to three hundred and sixty degrees, so that when the device is worn on highways or other places where "motor vehicles travel, the device, when worn at night, will glow in the'light of the motor vehicle headlamps and thus give -warning to the motorist of the presence of a pedestrian.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signalling-device of the character stated to be worn at night,

wherein novel means is provided for attaching a securing element to the body of the device, by means of which element the devicecan be easily and quickly secured to the wearers clothing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reflecting signal device of the character stated which is designed-in a novel manner whereby it can be safely carried in the pocket without danger of having the securing means of thedevicecatching in clothing or injuring the person carrying the device but wherein the =attaching means can be employed without difiiculty'for mounting the device external-ly' up'on the wearing material when the device is desired for use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

"Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of one embodiment of the present invention showing the application thereto of a novelty ornament such as a baseball.

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of the device showing the attaching means.

Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a second embodiment in which a second form of the securing or attaching means is disclosed.

Figure '4 is a view in bottom plan of the embodiment shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of a third embodiment.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

, 2,792,753 7 Patented May 21, 1957 Figure 7 is a view in rear elevation of the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in .Figures land 2, wthere is provided the body 10 which is inthe form of a truncated cone formed by any suitable material such as wood, plastic, metal or the like. This body is shown as provided in the lower half with the recess or chamber =12, while a similar chamber 14 is formed therein from the upper end. These chambers perform the double function of lightening the weight of the body and the chamber opening though the top end ofthe body-may also be employed to house an ornament of any desired character such as the baseball indicated at 1-6, or there may be placed in the chamber a'miniature fOOtbfillyOI any other desired ornament.

Overlying the entirev side of the body is a coatingor covering 18 of .a suitable light reflecting material such as Scotchlite or such covering may be in the form of aphosphorescent paint or any other material which will pick up and reflectthe rays of-a light directed thereon from any angle between zero and three hundred and sixty degrees, or which will be made to glow when impinged by light rays.

The base 20 of the device is provided at one side of the bottom chamber 1-2, with a socket 22 while at the opposite side from the socket the bottom face is cut away to form the outwardly directed V-shaped notch or recess-24.

Extending diametrically across the bottom 20 and across the chamber 12 is a securing pin 25 formed of a suita'ble'spring metal-wire, having one end pointed as and this tailpiece terminates in the reversely curved or bent springfinger. 29.

The coil spring 27 is of a diameter to fi-t tightly into the socket 22 and when pressed into the socket as shown with the tail piece extended inwardly, the spring finger -29 which is turned .back toward the spring 27 will engage againstthe wall of the socket opposite from the part28 with abiting action and .thus tightly frictionally secure the spring in the socket. When the spring is secured'in proper position, the pin 25 will extend diametrically-acrossthe base of the body and the, pointed end 26 will position over the notch 24. The pin 25 is of such a length that when the spring 27 is in the socket the point 26 will position over the notch but will be inwardly of the exterior surface of the body. Thus the device when carried in the pocket cannot penetrate the clothing or injure the carrier.

In Figures 3 and 4 there is illustrated a body structure of the same character as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, but a difierent embodiment of the securing element is shown. In this second embodiment of the invention, where the body is generally designated 10a the bottom 20a is provided with a socket 22a of materially greater width than the socket 22 and the securing element for mounting the body in position on the clothing and which is generally designated 25a, is of slightly different construction as about to be described.

The securing device 25a comprises a substantial length of spring wire which is folded or bent intermediate its ends to form the hair pin loop 30 having the two spaced parallel legs 31. Each of these legs is shaped to provide a coil spring 32 which has an end tail extension 33 which, like the tail extension 28, terminates in the reversely bent spring finger which is here designated 34.

As will be clearly seen, the fastener or securing element 25a is not of the penetrating type like the pin 25 but is designed to be engaged under an edge of an article acetates of clothing such as the edge of a coat lapel or the like and to facilitate such engagement, where the edge of the material will be held between the element 25a and the bottom 20a, the bottom is provided with the recess or notch 24a as shown.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention which is in the form of a flat button and comprises a body 35 of circular form having a convex forward face 36 which is covered by a suitable reflecting or fluorescent material 37.

The rear face 38 of this round or buttondike body is provided at the edge with a notch or recess 39 and diametrically opposite from the recess there is provided in the rear face the shallow socket 40.

The socket 40 is designed to receive the coil spring 41 formed at and from one end portion of a pin 42, the opposite end of which is pointed as indicated at 43 and designed to lie over the notch 39 when the spring is frictionally engaged in the socket 40. In order to further secure the spring in the socket, the other end of the coil spring 41 is extended to provide the holding finger 43, which like the fingers 29 and 34 tightly frictionally engage in the wall of the socket and thus assist in tightly frictionally holding the spring in position.

Preferably the device shOWn in Figs. 1 to 4 is attached to the shoulder or head of the wearer in a substantially vertical position which will provide visibility of the device through an arc of substantially three hundred and sixty degrees. The notch 24 facilitates penetration of the clothing by the pointed end 26 of the pin 25 and the area of contact of the base 20, as well as the resiliency of the spring 27 is adequate to maintain the device in a substantially vertical position.

As will be readily seen from the foregoing there is provided by the present invention a night signalling device which can be easily and quickly applied to an article of clothing either by forcing the point of the pin into the material or by engaging the fastening element over an edge of the clothing material, to function as an efficient signalling element to protect the wearer by flash ing a signal when a motor vehicle headlight or light rays from any other source are directed thereagainst.

It will also be seen that the holding means for the devices in their several forms, may be readily applied to the body of the device without requiring the use of tools or fastening elements merely by forcing the springs and the spring finger carrying tail pieces thereof into the receiving sockets where the springs will be firmly fric- 4 tionally held so as to hold the pin or the gripping member 25a firmly against the bottom 20, 20a or 38 of the device.

It is to be pointed out that in the formation of the springs 27, 32 and 41 the latter are biased so as to tend to constantly urge the pins or the element 25 toward the bottom or back of the carrying body, after the spring and its tail piece has been forced into the receiving socket.

"Iclaim:

A light reflecting device for attachment to the clothing of the user, said device comprising a body in the form of an elongated truncated cone, a light reflecting material covering substantially the entire surface of the side wall of said body whereby to reflect light rays striking said material from substantially any point .within an arc of three hundred and sixty degrees and means for removably attaching said body to the clothing of the user with the longitudinal axis of said body at substantially right angles to the surface of the clothing at the point of attachment, said means comprising a tapered outwardly directed substantially V-shaped notch in the base of said body, said notch opening through the side wall of said body and through said base, a socket of rectangular cross section in said base diametrically opposite said notch and adjacent the opposite side wall and a clothing engaging pin comprising a length of resilient wire having an intermediate portion formed to provide a coil spring disposed in said socket, one end of said wire extending from said spring across the base of said body and terminating inwardly of the side wall of said body and in registry with said notch, the opposite end of said wire extending from said spring into said socket at substantially right angles to said one end and in contact with one side wall of said socket, said opposite end terminating in a reversely bent portion with the free end thereof engaging the opposite side wall of said socket with a biting action to retain said spring in said socket, said spring serving to bias said one end of said Wire toward the base of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,579 Adams Aug. 8, 1899 894,415 Wickland July 28, 1908 2,359,115 Jordan Sept. 26, 1944 2,546,662 Bagnasco Mar. 27, 1951 

